Inmates from Jess Dunn Correctional Center participate in internship with Wheeler Metals
Since 2019, 39 Jess Dunn Correctional Center inmates have participated in an internship with Wheeler Metals, located in Muskogee, Okla. Wheeler Metals is a local metal supplier and manufacturer that provides inmates with valuable work experience through an internship program. This innovative initiative has helped incarcerated individuals gain practical skills and knowledge that will assist them in securing employment upon their release.
Deputy Warden James Cotton has worked in the corrections field for 35 years and has been at JDCC for over a year. He says, “Mr. Wheeler is doing such a great thing for these guys. When they are released, they will be our neighbors, and they need jobs. This gives them the path to achieve that.”
Most of the interns had previous experience with some trade skills, but Wheeler Metals provides on-the-job training for those without experience. They hold crucial positions, including customer service, machine operators, welder fabricators, saw operators, and facility and fleet maintenance. Wheeler Metals provides the men with clothing, boots and personal protective equipment and feeds them during their shifts.
Other perks of the internship are dental and vision assistance. They have helped several interns obtain glasses and needed dental work, including full or partial dentures. Before being released from prison, they work with the men to find housing, obtain a driver’s license and other essentials necessary to re-enter society. As of June 2024, JDCC inmates have earned a combined total of $368,945, and the recidivism rate for the interns is less than 10%. Due to its success, Wheeler Metals is expanding the internship and partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
For several reasons, Wheeler Metals insists the workers be addressed as interns, not inmates. They believe it is crucial for them to look to the future. The “inmate” label stigmatizes the men, providing no benefit and potentially hindering their progress. The name “intern” initially helped get buy-in from other team members and built respect between the workers. Because of this respect, the returning citizens have kept in touch with the company after leaving.
One of the interns, Gary, has worked at Wheeler Metals for approximately 18 months in the maintenance shop. Gary became interested in working there to earn a living. However, something else has happened during his employment. He stated, “But more than that, they treat me like a real person.” Wheeler Metals asked Gary to work there permanently once he is released, and he’s considering it because “it is a great program.”
Andra, another intern, has worked in customer service for two years and also drives a forklift. He says, “It helps build my social skills, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
Benny Wheeler, the owner, is passionate about helping people in any way he can. “We get to help these guys while creating a path for others to do the same,” he said. “Together, we can improve the economy, our communities, and our state. We hope to influence other companies to do the same.”
Inmates from the Jess Dunn Correctional Center in Taft, Okla., or interns, as Wheeler Metals prefers to call the men, work for the company in various positions, including pipe cutting, welding and forklift operations.
Upon release, Wheeler Metals welcomes the interns to keep working there, and many do. Some have stayed and eventually started their own businesses, some have gone on to find better jobs, and some have remained with Wheeler Metals and continue to change their lives for the better. Many interns decide to move back home to be around their families. For those, Wheeler Metals happily provides reference letters to help them obtain a good position wherever they choose.
The partnership launched after Wheeler Metals contacted then-warden Jim Farris about the potential program. With help from state Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, former state Rep. Avery Frix and several other ODOC staff, they created the internship in October 2019. At that time, it was over 10 years since Wheeler Metals participated in a similar program, and they were unsure how to start a new program. Since then, the company and the prison staff have built up a strong working relationship and have worked to grow this collaboration even more.
Wheeler said, “We have always believed in second chances and in the value of all people. We all make mistakes and that does not make us bad people. If more people could see that, it would help the state in many ways.”
For more information about how your business can partner with ODOC to change lives, complete the work release opportunities form.
